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Sand in their toes and sound in their ears

Ed and Kathy King of St. Simons Island danced during a prior year's Tybee Island Music Festival near Tybee's north beach.

Carl Elmore

Hundreds attended the Tybee Island Music Festival in a prior year, and many danced in front of the stage.

Carl Elmore

Kathy Albright and Stacey Collins danced in front of the stage during a prior year's Tybee Island Music Festival, as the Drifters played.

Carl Elmore

The Drifters were among the bands playing during a prior year's Tybee Island Music Festival.

The coast is clear for classic rock this weekend when the Tybee Island Music Festival gets under way for the fourth year in a row.

The two-day event begins Friday night with a concert inside the Tybee Island Gymnasium, also known as the Youmans-Solomon Complex. The music continues Saturday afternoon in the north beach parking lot.

The festival is under new management this year. TybeeFest, a nonprofit group charged with organizing various events to boost tourism, decided to produce the music festival and use the profits to fund other events, such as the Tybee Luau in September, Pirate Fest in October, and the Christmas Parade.

"Even though it's still summer, August is not a prime tourist month for Tybee," Paul Devivo, president of TybeeFest, said. "So we thought this was an important event to bring people to Tybee for all Tybee businesses."

Changes to the 2006 festival include a bump up in the schedule (last year's event was held at the end of August) and an opening-night indoor concert, featuring Ragman's Luvid Miscreants and headliner The Classic Rock All-Stars.

Tickets to the Friday night concert, which is limited to just over 500 people, are $25 each.

"We expect to be sold out before the night of the event," Devivo said.

Saturday festivities open at 2 p.m. with The Christy Alan Band and wind down with another performance by The Classic Rock All-Stars at 8 p.m.

Festivalgoers are advised to bring chairs and sun protection, such as umbrellas and hats. Coolers are not permitted - instead, food and beverage vendors will be set up at the site.

Last year, several attendees complained about the scant parking on the island. This year, Devivo "strongly encourages" patrons to hop aboard the shuttles that run to and from the festival venue. People can pay $3 for a one-way trip or buy an all-day pass for $5.